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TazRunning.com is a marathon-based website useful for running community, owned by Owen Lillywhite, a marathon runner. In this website one can find maps, elevation charts and printable pace charts for various runs which can be used by any runner for free.
Idea Behind The Website
In early 2011, when Owen Lillywhite was training for his first marathon, he wanted a pace chart that took elevation changes into consideration. When he couldn’t find one, he developed a method to create it. He modified it so that it can be used by everyone, for any race. The same is given in this website for the benefit of the running community.
Special Features
Printable Pace Charts
If you select a race and enter your goal time, your pace chart will be created automatically. You can also build your own custom pace chart by following the instructions given in the website. Any pace you want is available. Based on elevation changes, different paces per mile can also be calculated.
One can print these charts for free. You can attach it to your bib while running, make a wristband out of it, or just use it to write the numbers on your arm.
Interactive Course Maps
The website has many interactive course maps. When you place the mouse over each mile marker, it will give you the information, including when you will reach there. You can also send the included link to your friends so that they will know when and where to expect you.
Pace Tattoos 
You can order a tattoo of the pace chart if you want and it will be shipped via USPS first class mail. The tattoos will be mailed only to addresses within the United States. It costs $4.99 and there is no shipping charge.
Altitude Charts
There are also altitude charts available for many races, which include a quick visual reference of the elevation changes during the course of the run.
Sample Pace Chart Generation
While reviewing the website, to test their pace chart creation feature, we tried to generate a sample pace chart for the “ING New York City Marathon”, and we also customized it as per our specific needs. Here are the different steps involved in generating a new map and pace chart.
Step 1
Click on the main ‘Select a Race’ link at the top of every page.
Step 2
Select the state and race distance of the event, for which you want the map and pace chart to be created. You can see the name of the event in the list. 
If you click on the name of the event in the list, you will get the course map, pace chart and elevation profile of the race, created by default settings. 
Generating Customized Map and Pace Chart
To get a customized map and pace chart, click on ‘Customize your settings here’ seen on the red band and enter the required data such as finishing time, altitude adjustments, pace chart font option, color etc. 
When you save the data, you get a modified map and pace chart of your requirement.
Another Option
If you wish to create your own pace chart in a different format, then click on ‘create your own pace chart from scratch’ option. You can see a window in which you have to enter the values for different settings such as number of rows and columns, font size, text color etc and also the data on the pace chart. 
After this, when you click on the save button you will get the pace chart of your preferred format as shown below, which can be further printed for your personal use. 
We see that it is really very easy to generate customized pace charts using the website. One need not be technically sound to use this and it takes just few minutes for the process.
Limitations
While most of the larger races are available, not all races are. But if you find your race is not available, they are very fast to add it, just click the link requesting a race be added.
Final Thoughts
The website has a large collection of races to choose from, across all the US states. It is user friendly and free for all. Interactive course maps for various races are found in this website and this saves the time spent for searching the maps for different events from various sources. Altitude charts give an idea of the elevation changes of the course. The pace tattoo will surely be an interesting fun element of a runner’s life.
On the whole this website is a gift to the running community. We wish and recommend all the runners to make use of TazRunning.com for their forthcoming races.
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